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April’s “Eat for Hydration” Challenge

With the warmer weather approaching, I’ve been taking some time during class to speak with my students about the benefits of drinking water. We’ve discussed why water is the best option for hydration, and why some juices, soft drinks, and sports drinks can be more harmful than good if consumed in excess. I also encouraged my students to identify and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables which are high in water content. Along with assisting in the hydration process, fruits and vegetable also provide us with needed vitamins and minerals. These discussions inspired me to create April’s “Eat for Hydration” Challenge. I hope you can use the challenge with your students and families.

Hydration is the process of replacing water in the body. You do this by drinking water throughout each day. The amount of water you need depends on your age, size, how active you are, and the temperature outside. For example, if you play soccer on a warm summer day, your body will need even more water to replace the water you lose from sweating.

Recommended Daily Amount of Water

Age Range

Total Water (Cup/Day)

4-8 years

5 cups

9-13 years

7-8 cups

14-18 years

8-11 cups

Source: Institute of Medicine of the National Academies.

You can also “Eat Your Hydration.” Many of the fruits and vegetables we eat daily contain over 85% water! This means we can eat to help our bodies stay hydrated. Fruits and vegetables also have the bonus of providing our bodies with essential vitamins and minerals. Check out this list of healthy snacks made up of more than 85%water, and read on for the challenge.

Fruit/Vegetable

% Water by Weight

Apple

85%

Bell Pepper

92%

Blueberries

85%

Cabbage

93%

Cantaloupe

90%

Carrots

87%

Cauliflower

92%

Celery

96%

Cucumber

96%

Mixed Greens

94%

Orange/Grapefruit

87%

Pear

87%

Pineapple

87%

Radishes

95%

Raspberries

87%

Raw Broccoli

91%

Spinach

91%

Star Fruit

91%

Strawberries

92%

Tomato

95%

Watermelon

92%

Zucchini

95%

The “Eat for Hydration” Challenge

Refer to the recommended daily amount of water table above.

Drink the recommended number of cups of water for your age each day.

Eat at least one serving of vegetables and at least one serving of fruit from the list of fruits and vegetable consisting of more than 85% water. This will help you stay hydrated while also providing you with needed vitamins and minerals. Please note that kids need about 6-7 total servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

Log your total cups of water and hydrating fruits and vegetables consumed daily on your “Eat for Hydration” calendar.

Turn in your calendar at the end of the month to receive your award certificate and toe token.

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